Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), a non-partisan, non-profit civil organisation focused on addressing corruption, has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to revoke the appointment of Kwame Owusu as Board Chairman of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
The former Managing Director of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) was hit with controversy when it emerged that he had allegedly used over GHc66 thousand for his kitchen cabinet.
However, a letter from the presidency dated June 18, 2019 appointed him to the GRA pending his acceptance in 14 days, surfaced over the weekend.
In reaction to this, GII in a statement said "the appointment of the former Managing Director of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Mr. Owusu as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Revenue Authority has evoked disappointment among the general public particularly because of the events preceding his exit from his previous job. The raging debates are focused on the integrity of Mr. Owusu and its implication to the public perception of the new institution he has been appointed to.
GII holds the view that it is out of place to appoint an individual whose integrity has been questioned to the Board of such a sensitive entity as GRA. However, if the President wants to stand by his decision, then GII calls on him to publish the report of investigations that contradict the allegation of conflict of interest and financial misappropriation made against his appointee," the anti-corruption agency said.
Read their statement below
GII Demands Removal Of New GRA Board Chair Until Cleared Of Allegations Of Impropriety
GII is calling on the President, to revoke the appointment of Mr. Kwame Owusu following the intense public outcry in the pending investigations into allegations of abuse of office and conflict of interest involving Mr. Owusu.
The appointment of the former Managing Director of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Mr. Owusu as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Revenue Authority has evoked disappointment among the general public particularly because of the events preceding his exit from his previous job. The raging debates are focused on the integrity of Mr. Owusu and its implication to the public perception of the new institution he has been appointed to.
It is important to remind the President of this sections of his oath of office –“… and that I dedicate myself to the service and well-being of the people of the Republic of Ghana and to do right to all manner of persons”.
The said service which the President swore to all Ghanaians includes holding himself and appointees accountable to the people of Ghana and making information on his accountability available to the people whose mandate he holds to govern. Also, the President should be guided by Ghana’s commitment to the Open Governance Partnership (OGP) which the Government of Ghana signed onto in 2011.
The OGP commitment revolves around the pillars of transparency, empowering citizens to participate and harness new technologies to promote good governance. Therefore, publishing reports of investigation into the conduct of public officers is evidence of good and open governance practice which would be consistent with their oath of office.
Efforts by governments over the years at widening the tax net has been fraught with many challenges. Anecdotal evidence suggests that in addition to the myriad of problems faced by Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), trust in government to use the tax revenue prudently for the benefit of the taxpayer sinks with every corruption exposed in the public sector.
In line with the above, GII holds the view that it is out of place to appoint an individual whose integrity has been questioned to the Board of such a sensitive entity as GRA. However, if the President wants to stand by his decision, then GII calls on him to publish the report of investigations that contradict the allegation of conflict of interest and financial misappropriation made against his appointee.
Failure by the President to revoke Mr. Kwame Owusu’s appointment or publish the report that clears him will only contribute to negating all the efforts of GRA to promote voluntary compliance of the country’s tax laws and hence leaving the country to mark time at Tax to GDP ratio of 12.6 percent (Ministry of Finance 2018 fiscal data Jan – Dec)
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Who is holding on to the report? We need it to make informed decision. If questionable Mr. Owusu abused the financial, stores and procurement regulations of his former office, then the cat must let out of the bag. It is not justifiable to say he didn't remove the AC's to his private house and for that matter there is no cause for alarm. If on the other hand he did nothing wrong, let us know. Justice delayed is justice denied.
Mr. Owusu is not going anywhere GII and their NDC crookish Thie^s can go burn the La Sea. So, so pathetic on the part of those criticizing this moved. If I may asked did the man took with him the so called 13 AC and the extension he did on the gov't bungalow he did for GMS.?
Whoever against kwame owusu the person is real criminal. Why ***barred word*** Ndc are trying to destroyed the country and nobody will allow you criminals and deal with you
You people should go to his former post and see the work he did there and stop talking nonsensee. Nana will not appoint the man if indeed he is corrupt. Ghanaians talk too much and they always want to bring good people down. Very soon intelligent people will stay out of politics for stupidd once to talk over. How much is 14 air conditions compare to 51million Wayoome took for free without interest? When he was leaving, I think he removed the air conditioners to his house? Nonsenses
instead of talking about the progressive good things they are doing, NPP keeps shooting itself with avoidable controversies such as Parliament chamber and Kwame owusu
are there people out there who are trusting politicians? How can the president appoint people like this man to another sensitive office as Board chair of GRA? These are the ones who gets the money for their parties and they are the ones we have to be making sure they do not hold any office in our country.
#Drop the liar #Drop Bawuliar # Impotent Leader/ # THE CORN MAN MY GOODNESS CERTFIED CROOOOK, COOORN MAN
this is Ghana for you. Master dont worry yourself. they are all the same. The one who said he has come to protect the public purse is rather seriously creating manholes in the public purse for his families and friends to chop